Focal surface and detector for opto-electronic imaging systems, manufacturing method and opto-electronic imaging system

Abstract

The focal surface for an opto-electronic imaging system includes an arrangement of detectors for image recording and a detector carrier or a FPA carrier for holding the detectors. The detectors are each made of at least one solid state element that is bonded to a flexible carrier substrate. The focal surface, or the detectors, respectively, exhibits a curvature, such that a curved field of view can be recorded. In a method for manufacturing a focal surface for opto-electronic imaging systems, at least one solid state element is bonded to a flexible carrier substrate to form flexible detectors, whereby a detector carrier provides a curvature and the flexible detectors are adapted to the curvature of the detector carrier. To manufacture a detector according to the present invention, a solid state element is thinned and bonded to a flexible carrier substrate, such that it is formed in a flexible manner and can be adapted to a curvature of a field of view. An opto-electronic imaging system according to the present invention with front optics for capturing an image and a detector arrangement that is arranged in a focal surface of the front optics, in which the detector arrangement is arranged in the focal surface in a curved manner.

1. A focal surface for an opto-electronic imaging system, comprising:
 at least one detector formed of at least one solid state element and configured to record an image, the at least one detector being flexible, at least one of the focal surface and the at least one detector having a curvature for recording a curved image plane;  
 a detector carrier configured to hold the at least one detector; and  
 a flexible carrier substrate, the at least one solid state element being flexible, thinned, and connected to the flexible carrier substrate;  
 wherein the at least one solid state element has a maximum thickness of approximately 20 μm.  
 
   
   
     2. The focal surface according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one detector includes a thinned silicon wafer, the at least one detector being arranged on the focal surface in a curved manner. 
   
   
     3. The focal surface according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one detector is formed using an auxiliary carrier connected to the at least one solid state element for thinning the at least one solid state element, the auxiliary carrier being at least one of removable and removed after the at least one solid state element is thinned. 
   
   
     4. The focal surface according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one detector includes at least one of a CMOS line detector, a CCD line detector, a solid state line detector and a two-dimensional array detector. 
   
   
     5. The focal surface according to  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator configured to vary the curvature. 
   
   
     6. A focal surface for an opto-electronic imaging system, comprising:
 at least one detector formed of at least one solid state element and configured to record an image, the at least one detector being flexible, at least one of the focal surface and the at least one detector having a curvature for recording a curved image plane;  
 a detector carrier configured to hold the at least one detector;  
 a flexible carrier substrate, the at least one solid state element being flexible, thinned, and connected to the flexible carrier substrate; and  
 a temperature control system configured to maintain the at least one detector within a predefined temperature range, the detector carrier including at least one channel or being coupled to at least one peltier element.  
 
   
   
     7. A detector for image recording, comprising:
 a thinned, flexible solid state element; and  
 a flexible carrier substrate, the solid state element being connected to the flexible carrier substrate;  
 wherein the detector is flexible; and  
 wherein the solid state element has at least one of a thickness of approximately 10 μm to 20 μm and a length-to-width ratio of approximately 20 to 60.  
 
   
   
     8. The detector according to  claim 7 , wherein the length-to-width ratio is approximately 40. 
   
   
     9. An opto-electronic imaging system, comprising a focal surface, the focal surface including:
 at least one detector formed of at least one solid state element and configured to record an image, the at least one detector being flexible, at least one of the focal surface and the at least one detector having a curvature for recording a curved image plane;  
 a detector carrier configured to hold the at least one detector; and  
 a flexible carrier substrate, the at least one solid state element being flexible, thinned, and connected to the flexible carrier substrate;  
 wherein the at least one solid state element has a maximum thickness of approximately 20 μm.  
 
   
   
     10. The opto-electronic imaging system according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one detector includes a thinned silicon wafer, the at least one detector being arranged on the focal surface in a curved manner. 
   
   
     11. The opto-electronic imaging system according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one detector is formed using an auxiliary carrier connected to the at least one solid state element for thinning the at least one solid state element, the auxiliary carrier being at least one of removable and removed after the at least one solid state element is thinned. 
   
   
     12. The opto-electronic imaging system according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one detector includes at least one of a CMOS line detector, a CCD line detector, a solid state line detector and a two-dimensional array detector. 
   
   
     13. The opto-electronic imaging system according to  claim 9 , further comprising an actuator configured to vary the curvature. 
   
   
     14. An opto-electronic imaging system comprising:
 a focal surface, the focal surface including: 
 at least one detector formed of at least one solid state element and configured to record an image, the at least one detector being flexible, at least one of the focal surface and the at least one detector having a curvature for recording a curved image plane;  
 a detector carrier configured to hold the at least one detector; and  
 a flexible carrier substrate, the at least one solid state element being flexible, thinned, and connected to the flexible carrier substrate; and  
 
 a temperature control system configured to maintain the at least one detector within a predefined temperature range, the detector carrier including at least one channel or being coupled to at least one peltier element.  
 
   
   
     15. An opto-electronic imaging system, comprising a detector, the detector including:
 a thinned, flexible solid state element; and  
 a flexible carrier substrate, the solid state element being connected to the flexible carrier substrate;  
 wherein the detector is flexible; and  
 wherein the solid state element has at least one of a thickness of approximately 10 μm to 20 μm and a length-to-width ratio of approximately 20 to 60.  
 
   
   
     16. The opto-electronic imaging system according to  claim 15 , wherein the length-to-width ratio is approximately 40. 
   
   
     17. An opto-electronic imaging system, comprising:
 at least one of a focal surface and a detector;  
 the focal surface including: 
 at least one detector formed of at least one solid state element and configured to record an image, the at least one detector being flexible, at least one of the focal surface and the at least one detector having a curvature for recording a curved image plane;  
 a detector carrier configured to hold the at least one detector; and  
 a flexible carrier substrate, the at least one solid state element being thinned and connected to the flexible carrier substrate;  
 
 the detector including: 
 a thinned, flexible solid state element; and  
 a flexible carrier substrate, the solid state element being connected to the flexible carrier substrate;  
 wherein the detector is flexible;  
 wherein the at least one solid state element has a maximum thickness of approximately 20 μm; and  
 wherein the detector is bonded to the flexible carrier substrate via a first bonding layer, and the flexible carrier substrate is bonded to the detector carrier by a second bonding layer, the detector carrier having a curvature.